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A Case for Research

Ed Repa | Sep 01, 2005

THE WASTE INDUSTRY, LIKE other industries, significantly benefits from new technology. Just take a look at our history. After centuries of traditional operating methods, solid waste management began evolving in the 1970s with the rise of environmental awareness. The industry rapidly changed in the 1980s, spurred by public concerns over the “throwaway society” and the decreasing number of local municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills. New laws and regulations set higher environmental standards for disposal facilities and encouraged alternatives to disposal.

Despite these changes, research by the waste industry was so small as to be immeasurable. Funding from other sources also was limited, and federal research dollars often served more to identify or quantify suspected regulatory problems than support applied research.

The information gaps became increasingly apparent as waste management became more complex. Few formal studies were available to guide decision-makers about recycling and disposal technologies. A clear path did not exist for bringing new technology from the laboratory to the workplace. Little concrete guidance could be found on managing the fluctuating recycling markets. Even statistics on the size and scope of the industry were limited.

In 1992, the Environmental Research and Education Foundation (EREF) was established to fill the gap in solid waste industry research. Since its founding, EREF has developed new approaches to managing wastes and research practices that improve safety, health and the environment in the solid waste industry.

EREF has provided educational grants for public information projects about the solid waste management industry and has created professional training and educational materials. Following are some of the foundation's activities:

University support, including sponsorship of North Carolina State University's International Landfill Research Symposium and development of the educational program “Solid Choices” with the University of South Florida;

Development of the video “Bury, Burn or Return: Winning the War Against Waste” that aired on PBS and was distributed to 3,200 middle schools with an accompanying manual; and

Development of EIA's ethics program “Doing Our Best — A Matter of Integrity.”